Labeling-machine



J. L/WHITEHUHSTI LABELING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Aue.30. 1915.

Patented J an. 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- Ivwewtw WWI/mew Jitter M141 J. L. WHITEHU RST. 'LABELING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Aue.30. I915.

1,329,260. Patented Ja11.27, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- UNITED STATES FATENT @FFKEE.

JOHN L. WI-IITEI-IURST, 0F BALTIMGBE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOE, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO JOHN T. WHITEHURST, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

LABELING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

Applicationfiled August 30, 1915. Serial 1T0. 47,931.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. l/VHITE- HURST, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Baltimore, Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in Labeling-Machines, of which the folloW- ing is a specification.

This invention relates to a labeling machine whereby a can of a given diameter may be provided with a label which extends entirely around its body and has its ends lapped as is commonly done, or a shorter label which covers only a portion of the circumference of the can, and is secured thereto by an adhesive which is applied to the can in two places, thus obviating the necessity of employing two separate machines, as will hereinafter fully appear.

In the description of the said invention which follows, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part here of and in which v Figure 1 is an exterior side view of such parts of the machine as are involved in the present invention; and Fig. 2 a sectional plan of Fig. 1, taken on the broken line az-m.

Fig. 3 is an end view of two cans one of which is shown as provided with a long, and the other with a short label.

Referring now to the drawings, 1, 1 are bars which constitute the main portion of the frame of the machine, and 2, 2 standards best shown in Fig. 1, at the entrance end of the machine which standards support the shaft 3 upon whichxare secured pulleys l carrying belts 5 which rotate the cans to be labeled, and roll them longitudinally of the machine to its delivery end. A can denoted by 7 isshown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

10 is a columnar stand which supports the bars 1 of the frame of the machine, and 12 the label table secured to the top of the bar 13 which extends downward in the columnar stand, and is provided with spring devices,

'not shown, which serve to keep the upper label of a stack of labels, in the path of the rolling cans, as is common in machines of this class.

15 is the guide and stop for the forward end of the stack of labels and is adjustable so that it can be placed at a proper distance from the main adhesive-applying devices which consist of a pot 17 which contains an adhesive, preferably a substance which is liquefied by heat, and a system of rotary disks 20 partially '.nmersed in the adhesive and which in their rotation apply the adhesive to the cans as they are rolled over them.

21, 21 are the track rails along which the cans are rolled, and 23 is a clamping device and stop from under which the rear end of the upper label of the stack of labels is drawn, when the labels are of such length as to envelop the entire circumference of the cans.

2 24 are the side guide rails which keep the cans centrally of the machine as they traverse the bed toward the delivery end of the same.

The machine so far described will be recognized by those skilled in the art as one commonly in use; and the devices whereby the machine is adapted to apply shorter labels, or labels which cover only a portion of the circumference of the body of the cans, will now be described;

It will be understood that the main adhesive applying devices which as before stated consist of the cement pot 17 and the rotary disks 20, are given a position with respect to the label table 12 and the guide 15 for the stack of labels.

25 is a second cement pot provided with disks27, corresponding in all essential particulars with those before described. 30 is a stop bar for the rear end of the stack of short labels, which is dependent from a bar 32 the ends of which rest in depressions in the bars 1 and are temporarily held to the said bars by screws 0.

The movable paste pot 17 and the end stop 28 are the principal factors in the application of the long or full lengthlabels, and with these devices the usual transverse pasting belt, not shown, is used. hen half length labels are employed this lap pasting belt is discarded, and cement. applied in such manner that the labels shall be held at each end. Under such conditions, the fixed cement pot 25 is'used in connection with the stop 32, it being understood that when full length labels are employed this stop is to be detached. The rod 30 extends from the stop 82, the former being narrow. so that it readily may fit in the space incident to the two-piece label table, as will be clear to those familiar with the art. The stop 32 practically has the function of the front stop 15, both serving to lit the labels in their cor rect position on the table.

Suppose the machine to be in thecondition shown in the drawings, and short labels are to be applied to cans, the labels are stacked on the table, both. cement pots being in the position indicated and provided with the ad hesive. The second cement pot 25 with its disks 27 is supposed to have been given the proper longitudinal adjustment with respect to the cement pct 17 the position of which is unchangeable; Further, let it be supposed that the devices which apply paste to the, rear end of the long labels have been removed or rendered inoperative.

The machine being in motion, cans entering the machine and rolling over t 1e cement applying disks 20 and 27 receive dabs of cement in two places which are circumferentially separated distance practically equal to the length of the labels to be applied, and after the labels are picked up, the cans pass to the appliances which smooth the labels upon the cans and which are commonly in use in labeling machines, and are discharged.

Should it now be required to change the machine so as to apply long labels or those which extend entirely around the can bodies, it is only necessary to put the second cementing appliances out of service which can easily be done by unshipping the belt which drives the pulley 35, removing thestop bar 30, and resuming the action of the transverse pasting belt, not shown, when the operation of the machine is the same as that of labeling machines now commonly in use.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a labeling machine, a bed, means toroll cans longitudinally of the bed from the entrance to the delivery end of the same, a table to hold a stack of labels, a pair-0f separated adhesive-applying devices situated at the entrance endof the bed, whereby a can in rollmg over the sa1d separated devices shall receive two applications of cement before reaching said table, and a removable depending stop bar adapted for use with short or half length labels.

2. In a labeling machine, a bed, means to roll cans along the bed from the entrance to the delivery end or the same, adhesive-applying devices situated near the entrance end the bed, a label table, other adhesiveapplying devices situated between the first devices and said table, whereby the cans shall receive two applications of adhesive before reaching the labels on the table, and a removable depending stop bar adapted for use with short or halflength labels.

3. In a labeling machine, a bed, means to roll a can longitudinally of the bed from the entrance to the delivery end of the same, a. table to'hold a stack of labels to be applied to cans, adhesive-applying rollers situated at the entrance end of the bed, a second set of adhesive-applying rollers so situated between the first set'andthe table for holding the labels, whereby a rolling can may receive two separate applications of adhesive before performing a full rotation, and a removable depending stop bar adapted for use with short or half length labels.

l. In a labeling machine, a bed, means to roll cans longitudinally of the bed from the entrance to the delivery end of the same, a table to hold a stack of labels, an adjustable adhesiv applying device at the entrance end of the bed, an optionally operative or inoperative adhesive applying device in alinement with the said adjustable device capable of .longitudinal adjustment with respect thereto, whereby when said adjustable d viceis operatively employed a can in rolling the said separated devices may receive two applications of cement at predetermined distance apart less than the circumference of the'can, and a lBlElOVELblQQlQPGHCling stop bar adapted for use with short or hall length labels.

JOHN L. WHITEHURST.

Witnesses: 7

WM. T. HowARn, JULIA B. RoBINsoN. 

